List of States and Territories of the FCNS
The Federated Continent of North Sanctus as the name implies is a federation of thirty-eight states and nine territories and a federal district City, the capital city Two of the territories are insular, which means they are located within the main land area of the FCNS, these being Holness Island and The Boreal Territories. 20 of the 38 states are located on the continent itself, or more correctly on the most major island of the continent generally also referred to as North Sanctus. These 21 states share this landmass with the northern provinces of Pechek and the entirety of Pezpada. 4 of the 38 states are on Sanctus Minor and share this landmass with the southern provinces of Pechek. The final 14 are located on Prince Hector’s Land, another major island of North Sanctus. No other sovereign states are located on this landmass. The northern states of Prince Hector’s Land are generally called the insulars. States are the primary divisions of the FCNS and as a federation are granted many independent powers not seen in the subdivisions of other nations. They are called states for this reason. The Final Articles of the Federation grants the states a number of powers including managing intra-state commerce, running statewide and local elections, creating statewide and local governments, sending delegates to vote on amendments to the Articles of the Federation and basic elements of the legislative and judicial branches in relation to the states themselves. The Articles designate each state as part of a court district where judges are appointed by the president. The Articles also grant each state the right to send two senators to the Senate in Sanctus City and a number of representatives proportional to the state’s population to the National Assembly in Sanctus City. Prior to the repeal of the electoral college in 1993 states also selected a number of electors proportional to their population to vote for president, but now the president is elected by popular vote. Since the FCNS first gained independence the number of states has increased. The country began with eleven states and one territory, all of which started life as Brantish colonies except for Jesperia which was a colony of Wikus. Over time the country expanded outward to incorporate various new states, the newest of which is West Cape. Holness Island was the only territory formed when the country was new and decided against statehood so they could remain under their own constitution. In 1884 Holness Island was incorporated which meant that the Final Articles of the Federation now applied, but the residents voted against statehood in a referendum. Each territory sends one senator to the senate, and one representative to the National Assembly. While the territorial senator has full voting abilities, the territorial representative doesn’t. These representatives are allowed to be on committees though and debate on the chamber floor. Every state has its own constitution similar to the Articles of the Federation. Each state is run according to a republican three branched system with a executive branch in the form of a governor, a judicial branch in the form of state and county courts and a legislative branch in the form of state legislatures, all of which are bicameral except for Windsor, Jesperia and Manchette. Of the nine territories two are insular and seven are external. Of the nine territories two are incorporated and seven are unincorporated. In the incorporated territories of the Boreal Territories and Holness Island, the final laws fully apply, the citizens of these territories are Sanctan citizens and can vote in presidential elections. These territories are almost states, except for a few key differences the most notable of which is congressional representation. These territories can send one senator to the senate, which has full voting capabilities and is treated identically to the other senators. They can also send one representative to the National Assembly each, but these members can’t vote and are largely considered ceremonial. These members can join subcommittees, debate on the house floor and propose legislation, but can’t vote on it. Both of the incorporated territories are organized, which means they have autonomy in creating their own laws much like a state and they have a three-branched system of government similar to that of the other states. The unincorporated territories are treated not like land within the FCNS, but as territorial possessions of the FCNS. Here the Final Articles apply partially. The local territorial constitutions override the Final Articles in some instances. The citizens here are Sanctan citizens, but they can’t vote for or run for president. Each territory of this type isn’t allowed to send any senators, but is allowed a non-voting member of the National Assembly. Of these seven two are organized. A key difference between these territories and the incorporated ones is the fact that Congress can override laws in these territories. The other five aren’t organized which means that even though they are FCNS land the Final Articles don’t apply, but this doesn’t affect anyone because aside from military personnel and scientists nobody lives in these territories. These lands are entirely military owned or nature preserves administered by the government. All states are divided into counties, except for Costalandia, which is divided into parishes, Nouvelle Plaine which is divided into divisions and Jesperia which is divided into cantons. States Federal District Insular Territories External Territories